Mediaboss Marketing

Provided by News 360 Protests in Iraq over the holding of a parliamentary session - Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa

The European Union has expressed its concern on Friday about the political crisis in the country following massive protests that left at least 30 people dead in the capital, Baghdad, and called on the parties to resume dialogue in order to form a new government.

"The EU is seriously concerned about the recent political and security escalation in the country. Violence is never a solution and must not be allowed to undermine the democratic process," said EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano.

He called on the parties to denounce violent acts, as well as to exercise restraint and work to reduce tensions in order to build dialogue "in good faith", within the constitutional framework.

"In these circumstances and as Iraq marks three years of the Tishrin protest movement and almost a year of early elections in October 2021, the EU reiterates its determination to continue to support Iraq's reform path and its stability and sovereignty," he stressed.

In an attempt to unblock the political situation, Iraqi Prime Minister Mostafa al-Kazemi announced a dialogue table with political forces and parties. But the crisis worsened this week after the resignation of the Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed al Halbusi, who was nevertheless confirmed in his post.

In fact, on the same day of this parliamentary session, clashes between Iraqi security forces and 'Sadrist' demonstrators, followers of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr, were recorded in the vicinity of the Parliament.

The political deadlock is also compounded by the attacks carried out by Iran against the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, which on Wednesday left at least thirteen dead and about 60 wounded, according to the regional authorities.

"The EU condemns in the strongest terms the bombing of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq this week, for which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been blamed," the European club concluded.

According to reports carried by the Kurdish television channel Rudaw, the attacks hit the headquarters of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), the Democratic Party of Kurdistan of Iran (PDKI), the Party for a Free Life for Kurdistan (PJAK) and Komala in the provinces of Suleimani and Erbil.

The PDKI claims the creation of a Kurdish entity in Iran, something the Islamic Republic has refused to do. PDKI and Revolutionary Guard fighters clashed in 2015 in northern Iran, leaving several dead and wounded on both sides.

Read the original:
EU expresses concern over political crisis in Iraq and calls for renewed dialogue - msnNOW